


As Long As You Love Me

by The_Leader_Of_The_Resistance



Category: Compilation of Final Fantasy VII, Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII, Final Fantasy VII
Genre: F/M, Hurt/Comfort, Internal Conflict, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-17
Updated: 2019-07-17
Packaged: 2020-06-30 08:44:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,055
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19849624
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/The_Leader_Of_The_Resistance/pseuds/The_Leader_Of_The_Resistance
Summary: Love is in the air as you pine for the stoic and serious Tseng, but will he return your feelings?





	As Long As You Love Me

**Author's Note:**

> This reader insert is a surprise gift for a friend of mine who loves Tseng from Final Fantasy 7! Now this one was a bit challenging for me. Tseng is a FF7 character that I’m not used to at all, so I hope I did his character justice. Lol He’s a pretty minor character, so I had to wing it in some areas.
> 
> _Trivia:_
> 
> _\- This is based on the song of the same name by the Backstreet Boys._

##  **As Long As You Love Me**

Another long day at SOLDIER came to an end, and you couldn’t be happier. As the first female member, being a part of SOLDIER was...intimidating. Not that anyone would dare to try anything shady. The last pig who tried that wound up with a broken jaw courtesy of your aggressive demeanor when threatened and brute physical strength that filled you with pride. Nobody attempted to do anything ever again. Several other perverted guys started to fear you before they even approached you, thinking they were next. For that, you were pleased.

Although you were respected by everyone, including the legendary First-Class trio, living in a place dominated by men sort of made you feel lonely. You were the only woman there, meaning you didn’t have any female friends. You never let anyone know, however. You didn’t wish to hurt anyone’s feelings. Zack was a great friend to you. In fact, he was your tour guide when you first arrived. You had a soft spot for Angeal, and enjoyed his banter with Zack. You loved Genesis’ poetic and dramatic character, and you were one of the few people who liked listening to him when he read LOVELESS. Sephiroth took some time to get used to, but after being in his company, you discovered he was a good man. 

The one man who genuinely captured your heart wasn’t a man from SOLDIER, but a Turk. Long black hair always in a ponytail, dark brown eyes resembling rich dark chocolate, and who could ignore his trademark dark blue suit? Though personally, you wished he’d wear something different outside of his occupation more often. Nonetheless, he was perfect. He always occupied your thoughts, sometimes even in your dreams. But the question remained: How could you approach a man like him? He didn’t seem like the romantic type. Too serious and stern, hardly ever expressing emotion. It didn’t mean he attracted you any less, but he left you pondering on how to get his attention. You were aware of what his job required him to do, but in your eyes, it didn’t paint him in a negative light.

Tseng had been a friend of yours for over a year, and your love for him became stronger. Others didn’t seem to believe that you were interested in him, but as time went on, they knew. And they pointed out to you that Tseng wasn’t the one for you. Of course, the heart wanted what it wanted, and you tuned out all the naysayers. Malice and cruelty weren’t their intentions. They did care about you and wished to shield your heart from potential heartbreak, realizing he wasn’t a saint, but you knew you could protect your own heart. You wanted to give it to Tseng, to show him that you loved him.

You collapsed on your bed, completely at a loss. Maybe you could figure it out in the morning. You just hoped you didn’t humiliate yourself by realizing he really wasn’t interested. A broken heart was as painful as a knife impaling your body. You turned to the side to gaze at a photo frame you had on your nightstand, a photo that you snuck out from Tseng’s belongings one day to make a copy of it. You weren’t brave enough to ask him if you could borrow it. Explaining why you even wanted it would also have been difficult to do. Determined to make a change, you grabbed the frame and gave the picture of Tseng a kiss before putting it back in place. You then drifted to sleep, promising yourself that you would finally gain the courage to tell Tseng how you feel. 

* * *

“Hi, Tseng.”

“Hello, _______,” Tseng replied. He just left President ShinRa’s office after having a meeting with him. 

Tseng wasn’t much of a talker, and neither were you, so silence spread throughout the hallway. You had to change that. “How are you?” You spoke with radiant eyes.

“I’m doing well, thank you.”

“That’s good.” You followed him once he started walking. “Uhhh, Tseng? I was wondering...”

“Hmmm?” He glanced at you.

You refrained from letting his gaze overwhelm you, so you stood tall. “When we’re not busy...do you want to hang out?”

“_______, we already do that. We spend time together, sometimes with Zack and Reno.” He sneered. “Much to my dismay.”

“Tseng, you like them, don’t lie,” you teased. “But I wasn’t referring to us just hanging out. I meant hanging out as in...going out on a date.”

Tseng stopped walking. You stopped as well. Your heartbeat accelerated, both anticipating and dreading his response. “Tseng?”

Tseng didn’t respond right away. After a painful silence, he glanced at you. “_______, I must leave. I have another task to complete, but we can discuss this later.”

“What? Tseng-“

He left before you could say anything. Once he was gone, you sighed, a bit upset that he just left without much of a reaction. Maybe Tseng didn’t see you that way, and that alone hurt you. No, you told yourself. You already asked him out, so you had to see what this would lead to and find out if you truly had a chance. 

* * *

The day passed at a sluggish pace, almost as if it would never end. You relaxed on the couch, eating your favorite dessert. For a day off, it was a rather lazy one. Your last conversation with Tseng replayed in your mind. You wanted him to have some time off soon. You were so determined to risk it all by telling him your true feelings. Only fate would decide if your relationship would go anywhere.

A knock followed, so you placed your dessert aside and hurried to answer the door, but then something slipped underneath it. A simple white letter. You picked it up, then opened your door. By the time you did, nobody was there. Odd. You closed your door and looked at the letter. Your name was written on it, but you didn’t recognize the handwriting. Who would send you a letter? You opened it and pulled out the folded paper tucked inside. Once you unfolded it, you read the letter:

**________,_**

****

****

**_I will wait for you outside tonight. I apologize for my rudeness from before for I am not accustomed to this. Meet me at seven o’clock. Be punctual. There is something we need to discuss._**

**_\- Tseng_**

Tseng wrote this letter?! That was unusual. It wasn’t like him to drop off a letter like this. Now you were anxious to meet him. A discussion about what? Either it was a love confession or a direct rejection. You hated the latter, but you couldn’t dwell on that, though. You needed to be optimistic. After all, Tseng was vague about this “discussion” you two would have tonight.

You took a shower after enduring buckets of sweat during the hot day. You felt dirty and your hair felt sticky. You couldn’t handle the feeling any longer, so you welcomed the fresh, cool water. Later, ten minutes before seven, you made your way to the exit after hours trying to decide what to wear. The meeting wasn’t a date, though you wanted it to be one, yet Tseng didn’t appear to get the hint. Or maybe he did, only he indirectly declined (which you tried not to believe). So you settled on a more neutral outfit. 

On your way out, you found Tseng standing under a street lamp. His breath hitched when he caught sight of you, but he regained his composure before you noticed.

“Hello.”

“Hi, Tseng.” You smiled at him. Knowing Tseng, his smiles were subtle. He returned yours with that certain smile.

You two started walking in silence. Tseng sneaked a glance at you; you did the same. A few times you two glanced at each other simultaneously, causing both of you to look away. Finally, you broke the silence.

“I got your letter. Well, of course I did, or I wouldn’t be here.” Wow, great starter, _______. 

“I’m glad. You look...good.” Now it was Tseng’s turn to hate his response. Good? Was that the best he could do? Was he insane? You were beautiful! 

“Thank you.” You entwined your fingers with his own. Tseng’s heartbeat increased, but pretended he didn’t sense a difference...and failed. Your fingers were warm and delicate. How could he ignore how you made him feel deep inside?

Tseng cleared his throat. “I hope you haven’t eaten yet.”

“I didn't. How about you?”

“I haven’t eaten all day,” he reluctantly confessed.

You flinched. “Tseng!”

“Why the stunned expression? I’m a Turk. I have little time to rest.”

“But still.” You tightened your grip on his hand and led the way with swift steps, much to his quiet surprise. “Come on, I know a great restaurant I know you’ll enjoy.”

“Very well,” he managed to say. You were unaware of his eyes mildly widened, his deep brown eyes reflecting a glimpse of emotion most people never get to see. 

* * *

Tseng hid his face with his menu. How much time had passed since he met you? He lost count after a year. No matter how long it had been, the feelings he had developed were undeniable. He was attracted to you, but being his usual calm and composed self, he never acted on his feelings. Now that you were the first to give him a push, he remained uncertain. When you asked him out, he was secretly elated, but also deeply concerned. Why show an interest in him? In addition, he was a Turk; you were a member of SOLDIER. No, that was just an excuse. He needed to be honest with himself. Things went deeper than that.

All the time he spent getting to know you, Tseng observantly took note of your thoughts, feelings, quirks, everything about you. How you laughed, how you cared about others...even him. Most importantly, how you weren’t tainted with sins like he was, especially after-

“Tseng, are you listening?” Your voice brought Tseng into the present.

“Excuse me?”

“I said order whatever you want. I’ll pay.” You chuckled. “Are you okay? You don’t zone out like that unless you’re busy with paperwork.”

“I’m fine,” he quickly answered.

The waiter arrived to take your orders. After he left, you sighed. “...Mom used to love coming here often.”

Tseng paused, his lips close to his glass of iced tea. If he hadn’t been a master at concealing his true emotions, his guilt would have shone through his expression. Memories of that mission flashed into his mind. He was ordered to stop an enemy group from threatening ShinRa. The rebels were located in your hometown, your birthplace.

“Dad was the one who brought us here every weekend. We always looked forward to trying everything on the menu. You can tell I inherited his appetite.” You laughed, reminiscing about the past. Going through the joyous memories had been easier nowadays compared to the despair you had endured when your parents died.

Your parents were killed a year ago, months after you joined SOLDIER. Their deaths were ruled a tragic accident. An accident Tseng unknowingly caused. The Turks were assigned to deal with the rebels that ShinRa eagerly wanted to vanquish, and your parents were caught in the middle of it. He didn’t realize it until it was too late. The attack occurred in your hometown, and claimed the rebels, along with your mother and father. 

It was all his fault. Although he was used to seeing death happen as often as he did, this was an exception. According to what you told him, your parents were wonderful people. Just days prior to the attack, he planned on meeting them, but unfortunately that day never came. And little did you know, Tseng knew certain things that you never did.

He had been living with remorse ever since. When your parents died, he vowed to work harder and protect those he cared about, including you, at the cost of his desires he had for you. It made it easier to temporarily forget that it was his fault that you lost your family.

“Tseng?” You were enjoying your food, but noticed he was acting peculiar again. “You’re not eating.”

“I’m fine, _______.”

You stopped enjoying your meal. He wasn’t himself tonight. You took a sip of your drink before you asked, “Tseng, what’s wrong? You’re looking at me like you’re in pain.”

So much for being a master of concealing his true emotions. Whenever he was with you, Tseng had a higher chance of slipping up, something Reno pointed out frequently. He denied it every time just to shut him up, but now you were beginning to see a smidge of his hidden emotions that he struggled to keep secret.

“Tseng...?” Your frown deepened.

He exhaled in defeat. He dreaded the possibility of having to tell you, but now he had no choice. The past haunted him, and now he had to face it. “_______...Before your parents passed, I received a mission that day.”

You blinked in confusion. “Okay. What’s important about that?”

“I was assigned to go after a rebel group in your hometown.”

“Yeah, you told me. What about it?”

“You don’t understand,” he shot back with sudden irritation that shocked not just you, but also himself. He took a deep breath. “That mission was to attack your hometown. I was the one who killed your parents.”

“What?!” Tseng was the one who killed them? “How??”

“I let them die!” His voice rose, but not enough to cause a scene. You winced. This was unlike the Tseng you knew and loved. His anger evaporated, replaced by deep regret. “...I let them die. The truth is your parents were with the rebels that day. They were part of the group...”

“Wait what?! I don’t understand. What do you mean they were rebels?” You shook your head in disbelief. You thought it was a lie, but Tseng wasn’t going to keep you from the truth. He wasn’t going to lie to you again.

“I’m sorry for keeping this from you, but I couldn’t let you know the real truth.”

“Tseng.” You couldn't imagine how much pain had been eating him alive for so long. “Why didn’t you tell me? I thought they were killed by the rebels. You told me they were hostages that they killed before you could save them.” 

That was what Tseng told you. His first lie he ever told you. It ached him to do it, but he had no other option once he learned the true identity of the couple who ran the rebel group.

“If I had known who they were, I swear I would have protected them, even if they were against ShinRa. This is why I haven’t attempted to grow closer to you. I failed your parents already, and I don’t wish to repeat that mistake with you.”

You gazed at Tseng for a lengthy period of time. So this was the real reason behind his behavior. He had loved you prior to your desire to confess how you felt about him, but closed himself off. He went to great lengths to keep this to himself even if it meant lying to you about your parents and how they died.

You should have been angry that he lied to you, but knowing the full story now, you understood. Plus he never knew your parents until after they died, nor did you know your parents were rebels. You held his hands. 

“Listen, Tseng...It wasn’t your fault,” you murmured. “You didn’t know who my parents were at the time. Heck, now that I know they were part of a rebel group, it just shows that I didn’t know them either.” You sighed. They kept you in the dark just like Tseng, but at least he eventually chose to be honest with you. Would your parents have done the same if Tseng had spared them? You might never know.

“Their final words were for you.”

Your breath hitched. He squeezed your hands. “All they wanted was to protect their home. Your home. The same applied to me prior to their dying words. Despite ShinRa’s orders, I vowed to have the Turks spare your home. I even convinced ShinRa to spare your hometown. It was all for you. However, I was unaware of your parents’ whereabouts until the rebels were eliminated...including them.”

“I...I see.” Now it all made sense. 

Tseng nodded. “Before they died, they apologized for never telling you about their plans, and they hoped you would forgive them.”

“I...Of course I do. They were my family.” You dried a few stray tears. Rebels or not, they were your parents. 

“Regardless, I’m the one who killed them. They didn’t deserve to die.”

“I know, Tseng. I know,” you whispered. 

His voice became faint. “I’m not a perfect man...”

“You don’t have to be perfect for me,” you countered. He faced you with a puzzled gaze. “I don’t care about your past. I don’t care what you did during your mission. You didn’t know my parents, and I know you wouldn’t have killed them if you did.”

Melancholy snuck into his eyes. “I murdered your parents. I don’t deserve love.”

“You didn’t murder them. You would have never killed them on purpose if you knew the full truth before the mission. I just wish I had known about their secret life sooner. I guess it doesn’t matter now.”

Tseng looked away, but you cupped his face and made him look at you. “You didn't know, okay...? I didn't either until you finally told me. Don’t blame yourself. I love you, Tseng. No matter what happens, I’ll always love you. Promise me you’ll never lie to me like this again and just...let me in.”

“_______. I...I love you as well.”

Tseng smiled faintly. Whatever emotion he was showing, he didn’t care. Being with you made him happy. He was just glad he realized it. He couldn’t keep his distance anymore. You both leaned closer, and pressed your lips together. The kiss sent new sensations in Tseng. Passion. Joy. Love. You returned those same emotions with the kiss, and you know right there that you were destined to be together.


End file.
